


Deception Point

by ArabFlower



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: #still-learning-how-to-tag, Brainwashing, F/M, Hallucinations, Illness, Mistaken Identity, Non canon compliant, Psychological Trauma, Set After S02E03 Making Friends and Influencing to People, Will contain sexual content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-02-21 07:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2459516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArabFlower/pseuds/ArabFlower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>~Sometimes in order to preserve a false reality, it’s necessary to lead the mind astray~</p><p>Skye was right to be worried for Jemma. It didn’t matter that her lying skills had improved because now the young biochemist couldn’t tell Reality from Fiction thanks to HYDRA and that was far more dangerous and damaging than mere physical injury.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And So It Begins....

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction adapted and based on other works of fiction .I only hold the copyrights to my imagination  
> Genre: Drama/ Angst /Romance  
> Authors Note (A/N): This does not follow the Current Track and Characters will be slightly OOC (out of Character)

A voice droned on around her and words like ‘Compliance’ and ‘reward’ were all her mind had registered. The Metal cuffs around her wrist cut deep into her skin, distracting her momentarily from the psychedelic display before her. Welcoming the pain, Jemma bit down on her tongue hard to keep her mind focused on anything other than the Hypnotic spider clouding her vision.

_‘Stay focused...You are a SHIELD agent...Coulson, Skye, May, Trip they’re all counting on you to infiltrate HYDRA, Fitz needs you...stay strong for Fitz....You are a SHIELD Agent ....You are a SHIELD Agent....You are a SHIELD Agent....You are a SHIELD Agent....You are a SHIELD Agent....’_

The mantra had become her mind’s protector and she had a fleeting sense of pride for her ability to resist one of HYDRA’s sophisticated mind altering technologies, but her jubilation was short lived. There was a small chuckle beside her and from her peripheral vision she could see Daniel Whitehall, HYDRA’s new leader smirk.

Whitehall: “I’m impressed agent Simmons...You’ve lasted longer than agent 33...I think it’s time we take more drastic action...Grab the Champagne Bakshi, it’s a special occasion...Miss Simmons here is the first agent with enough mental discipline to overcome our machine, I don’t know whether to marvel at her control or explode in frustration....but I need results and fast so...I’m done playing fair....”

Sunil Bakshi watched as Whitehall withdrew a syringe from a sleek black case and filled it with a bluish grey liquid, he then turned his gaze towards the woman in the machine and knowing what the liquid could do his heart clenched. He had worked besides Jemma Simmons every since the incident with Donnie Gill and she was the first and only person he could confidently say that he enjoyed working with. Everyone else remained stoic, cold and cruel but her, she was smart, talented, beautiful with a smile that could light up a room and a genuine warmth in her hazel orbs that could make even the coldest of hearts skip a beat. Her eternal optimism and sunny disposition had captivated him as he observed her. The task which was once a chore had slowly turned into the best part of his day and after nearly six months of working together he had caught himself making excuses to spend more time with her, they went out once for a beer once after work and it was in that dingy pub that he first saw her as more than a colleague. Her smile had dominated his dreams and her image had moved across his vision when awake, he became so enamoured by her it bordered on obsession, and after sometime he’d wish he never let his feelings escalate to such a level because no matter how many versions of the lie he told himself, the truth was that he was responsible for Jemma being confined to this machine, seconds away from becoming another complying HYDRA drone.

It was Sunil Bakshi who discovered Jemma’s secret meeting with Coulson not HYDRA’s surveillance detail on the young Biochemist, his obsession with her lead him to stake out her apartment on a nightly basis, parking his car across the street gave him a clear view of the second floor window belonging to apartment 2C and its occupant. It was during these stakeouts that he had seen the new director of shield talk to his beloved through said window and being the loyal HYDRA agent that he was, he immediately reported it to Whitehall and now he had a front row seat as the object of his affection struggled to keep control over her own mind. Normally he was indifferent to Whitehall’s victims but seeing Jemma confined to the steel contraption, struggling weakly against Whitehall’s grip as he injected her with Hydra’s most potent hallucinogen, his subconscious showed him a world where HYDRA had ruled openly and Jemma stood loyally by his side as his most trusted ally and paramour. His smirk to himself was caught by Whitehall, who had turned around after Jemma had fully succumbed to the drug.

Daniel Whitehall smiled at his second in command and spoke

Whitehall: “So Mr Bakshi....Ready to make her comply?”

Bakshi: “Actually Sir, I have a better idea...one that’ll insure her long term loyalty...”

Whitehall was intrigued, but schooled his features to keep his curiosity hidden from the other man. It was an open secret at the HYDRA base that Sunil Bakshi’s frigid heart had slowly begun to melt in the hands of the young English Biochemist but Whitehall knew that no matter what happened, Bakshi was Loyal to HYDRA so if he wanted the little traitor as a paramour then Whitehall was more than happy to give him complete control over her.

Whitehall: “What do you have in mind Mr. Bakshi?”

Bakshi: “She told me once that she was Loyal to science...I didn’t quite believe her...She maybe a SHIELD agent but her true loyalties lie with something else...”

Whitehall: “And what exactly may that be?”

Bakshi: “Not ‘what’...‘who’.... her loyalties lie with one Leopold Fitz...”

Whitehall: “Her partner from SHIELD? I had no idea she cared for him....”

Bakshi: “Neither did she...but now I’m going to use her feelings to our mutual advantage...”

Whitehall: “And how exactly will Leopold Fitz help us...he’s against HYDRA...”

Bakshi: “Ah but she’ll do anything for him...so all we need to do is lead her to believe that he is here, working alongside her as another SHIELD Sleeper agent and we’ll be able to extract SHIELD intel from her without wasting our time with this machine...”

Whitehall: “You want to keep her on the hallucinogens, make her believe that Mr. Fitz is here so we can get intel on SHIELD? It’s diabolically Brilliant Mr Bakshi...now exactly who do we star as Mr Fitz?”

Bakshi: “I volunteer...”

Whitehall: “I was hoping you would...”

Both men shared a diabolical grin before returning their gaze to the woman confined in the machine. Skye was right to be worried for Jemma because now the young biochemist would not be able to tell Reality from Fiction and that was far more dangerous and damaging than mere physical injury.


	2. Running Out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bringing Jemma home is Top Priority

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note (A/N): This does not follow the Current Track and Characters will be slightly OOC (out of Character). I am NOT a doctor, Everything Medical or related to the Medical conditions I am talking about originates from my imagination....I have done some research and have tailored it to suit the story and have extended some truths for dramatic purposes.

Phil Coulson paced the length of his office nervously, his right hand was shaking and it was not because of the effects of the GH325 coursing through his veins. He had just tried, and failed, multiple times to contact Jemma who was still undercover at Hydra. She had not checked in with him in a month and this was close to her fifth month undercover, sixth month since they reached the playground and close to eight months since Shield fell. She promised him she would check in once a week but a month ago she had suspected that HYDRA was following her so she sent him an encrypted message stating _‘Being monitored...Going Dark’_ and that was the last they heard from her. The original mission plan placed her extraction before the end of the sixth month but now extracting her meant placing her in danger **_‘but not in more danger than leaving her in HYDRA....She left it here because I told her to....because they would use it against her if they knew...’_ **

Coulson stared at the large brown envelope on his desk, wary of its contents and he knew based on the content of the envelope that they needed to extract Simmons as soon as possible. His gaze lifted from the package when his team filed into his office. He stared at each member in turn before he spoke but maintained eye contact only with Agent May hoping the other agent understood his subtle signal that he needed to talk to her.

Skye: “Whatup D.C? New mission?”

Coulson: “Not really Skye....There’s been a problem...”

Every single member of his team turned and looked at Lance Hunter with a fresh anger in their eyes

Coulson: “It’s not Hunter guys...”

Skye: “Sorry...Every time we hear the word ‘problem’-”

Trip: “-....we immediately turn to Hunter...”

Mack: “It’s just second nature now...”

Phil smiled at his team almost hesitant to tell his team their new mission and he was about to come up with some clever excuse to dismiss all of them and Just speak with May but Fitz’s question threw a spanner in the works

Fitz: “If...If-f-f it’s Not....Not ...”

He then started clicking his fingers and rubbing his forehead trying to come up with the next word but luckily Mack supplied it for him

Mack: “Not Hunter...”

Fitz: “Yes...If it’s not Hunter Then....Then ....Uhh...mmmm....”

Mack: “Then who is it?”

Coulson resumed his tactic of keeping eye contact only with May, and judging by the look in the other Agent’s eyes told him she had figures out who he was referring to

May: “Simmons....It’s time to extract her...”

Coulson: “Yes well....”

Skye: “Great Jemma’s coming home! Maybe she can shoot Hunter with an ICER like she did Sitwell?”

Skye sounded really hopeful and judging by the look on Trips face Coulson knew that if given the chance to see Hunter shot by Jemma, Trip would load the ICER himself just to see it happen. So while Hunter was rolling his eyes at Skye and Trip, Mack had noticed the tension on Coulson’s face, the fact that May mirrored his expression and how both these things were negatively impacting on Fitz, who was slowly unravelling because he couldn’t voice what was on his mind.

Mack: “You said there was a problem....What’s wrong sir?”

That question reminded everyone of the seriousness of the situation and all turned to Coulson expectantly

Coulson: “Jemma’s original mission plan was to extract her in the sixth month but we lost contact with Jemma about a month back and now we don’t know what state she’s in or whether we’d place her in more danger if we extract her now...”

Skye: “I saw we bring her home! This is her fifth month undercover...So Let’s go over to her apartment and Drag her out....”

Trip: “Ya but how are we going to explain it to HYDRA if we need to send her back?”

Hunter: “We could pretend that WE kidnapped her and tried to convince her to join SHIELD but she stayed loyal to HYDRA....”

Skye: “That’s brilliant Hunter!”

Trip: “Proof that your brain works occasionally...”

Coulson: “Guys! No...Simmons has gone Dark...She’s off the grid...We cannot find her! Our mission is not to extract her but to find her and once we do we bring her home...ok? So for now there’s no more active missions...this is TOP priority...so I want all personnel working round the clock to find her...Skye talk to Ward and find out where she could be...Trip you and Hunter need to check every communication channel for chatter about Simmons use that to try and locate her....Fitz and Mack...we need weapons and the Jet mission ready at a moment’s notice in case things go south...OK? Dismissed.”

Once he said his piece he glared at everyone as their queue to leave and was glad that only May remained in his office and only once his door closed did May speak up

May: “What are you not telling them Coulson? Why was the original mission for six months only? She could have stayed there longer?”

Coulson: “She has to come home before the sixth month is up....”

May: “But why? Frankly Coulson, I don’t understand why you allowed Simmons to help rehabilitate Fitz and then ask her to infiltrate HYDRA half-way through Fitz’s recovery....I know she didn’t want to leave Fitz so why are you telling everyone that she thought that leaving would help Fitz recover? And Why was Simmons the one helping Fitz? There were many SHIELD loyal doctors you could have called why her?”

Coulson: “Jemma has personal experience dealing with Hypoxia....trust me she was most qualified to help Fitz...”

_*Flashback [more than five months ago]*_

_Jemma Simmons walked into the Director’s new office, shoulder’s set a huge file in her hands and heart hammering in her chest. She went over her points of argument in hear head multiple times before turning the handle and walking through the door. Phil Coulson looked up from the file he was perusing and smiled warmly at the young agent_

_Coulson: “Hey Jemma...did you need anything?”_

_Jemma: “Actually sir...It’s Fitz...”_

_Coulson could tell by her expression that nothing untoward had happened to the engineer. He had woken up from his coma a few weeks after the team settled into the playground and everyone had difficulty adjusting to the change in his demeanour. Due to his brain being starved of oxygen he struggled not only to form sentences and remember words, he was also unable to work in the lab because his hands were not steady enough to use the relevant apparatus and that was a safety issue. Fitz had used his passion for engineering as a coping mechanism before the incident and now because it was taken away he had become surly, short tempered (everyone was on the receiving end of his anger) and withdrawn and frankly Coulson had no idea how to fix it but whatever Simmons had to say was definitely urgent and she had clearly prepared for this moment (judging by the huge file in her hands) and knowing how much she loved preparation he let her continue_

_Coulson: “What about Fitz?”_

_Jemma: “Sir he needs someone to help him through this...someone to show him how to cope with what he’s going through...”_

_Coulson: “I know Jemma, I’ve been trying to contact the best therapists and so far the only one that I think can help Fitz is this Dr. Grayson but he’s semi retired now and burying himself with research to save a patient of his and we can’t send the jet over to London to pick him up and bring him here....”_

_Jemma: “Sir I know Dr Grayson-”_

_Coulson: “Great then maybe you can call in a favour? Was he a tutor of yours?”_

_Jemma: “No sir...Dr Grayson....well Dr. Grayson was my therapist....”_

_If Coulson was shocked at that revelation he did not show it, he simply waited for the young biochemist to continue._

_Jemma: “You see the thing is....well Sir...I...oh bloody hell!....”_

_Coulson started watching Jemma closely and for the first time since Coulson met her he could see her struggling to form a sentence and he thought to himself **‘it’s as though she’s having trouble putting the words together...maybe she’s nervous? But when she’s nervous she rambles....Ok Phil stop, let Jemma tell you what’s going on...’**_

_Jemma: “Sir honestly....I’m not even supposed to be here....”_

_Coulson: “Jemma I know about the med pod...”_

_Jemma: “No sir....I’m not supposed to be here....as part of a field team...I’m not able to be part of a team like this...”_

_Coulson: “Nonsense Jemma, you’ve proven time and Time again that you’re excellent at what you do....If I didn’t see it for myself I’d have trouble believing it...besides Agent weaver gave you a brilliant recommendation when you applied for fieldwork, I believe she said that apart from self defence and other combat training you were more than capable of being a field agent...”_

_Jemma: “Sir you only see what I want you to see....and Agent Weaver lied on that recommendation because she knew I would never be allowed into the field....”_

_Coulson: “Jemma...why would Anne Weaver lie on your recommendation? What was preventing you from becoming a field agent?”_

_Jemma: “I couldn’t become a field agent because any field agent has to be able to handle pressure, spontaneous attacks, be aware of their surroundings...the problem is that I’m hyper aware of my surroundings and if I became a field agent....well then I wouldn’t be able to cope with it...but that’s not why I’m here...I’m here to talk about Fitz...but this kind of relates to Fitz... SO I should just tell you...”_

_She was rambling and Coulson knew he had to bring her back on track or otherwise he would never find out what she was trying to say_

_Coulson: “Jemma?”_

_Jemma: “Right...sorry sir...Well umm about Fitz, You don’t need to bring in Dr. Grayson because I know his techniques and methods....Fitz thinks that he’s broken but he’s not...it’s fixable...I’m the one who’s broken....And that’s how I know Dr Grayson not because I studied under him but because he used those techniques on me...Sir it’s clearly indicated in my file that I have an eidetic memory...”_

_She said all of this extremely fast but Coulson simply thought she was nervous_

_Coulson: “I know...having an eidetic memory is not a bad thing so why was Dr. Grayson treating you?”_

_Jemma: “There’s something else that was not in my file, something that’s been excluded entirely from my medical history because my family can afford to pay to make things disappear but I digress....Dr Grayson has been my therapist for the last 20 years, I met him when I was six years old on Tuesday the 30th of March in my father’s study at my home in London and it was on that day that he diagnosed me with low latent inhibition, a condition and because of this my brain is more....is more....damn..”_

_She put the file down on his desk and grabbed the sheet of paper lying on Coulson’s desk and began frantically writing down what she was trying to say and judging by the speed at which she wrote she was relying on pure muscle memory at this point...after a few seconds she handed the page to Coulson so he could read her response **“My mind is open to incoming stimuli in the surrounding environment so I am unable to block out periphery information and instead I process every aspect and detail of any given stimulus. This, combined with my high IQ of 197 and my eidetic memory, does theoretically and literally make me a genius...”**_

_Coulson: “So because of your low latent inhibition you couldn’t become a field agent? But you seem to be coping right now....how did you do it?”_

_He knew she was struggling and was about to tell her to resume writing but clearly she wanted to say this out loud... **’maybe it helps her cope with her condition if she openly acknowledges it...’**_

_Jemma: “Dr Grayson basically conditioned me, showed me through years of extensive therapies how to control the influx of stimuli and how to...how to....bullocks.....”_

_She gestured for him to return the page and once he did she began writing once more and after a few seconds Coulson was allowed to read what she had wrote **‘He showed me how to use it to my advantage.... Because of the injuries I sustained in-utero I was ‘gifted’ with these conditions but it came at a price, I was unable to communicate effectively because stringing enough words together to form a sentence is extremely difficult when your mind is moving too fast and has a constant stream of different stimuli grabbing its attention for it to instruct your mouth to catch up with what you’re trying to say...So I either ramble or write things down when I’m nervous because if I talk fast or write then I can get the entire sentence out OR I have to be prepared for everything....because I need to condition my mind to respond as needed and be able to block out everything else so I couldn’t be a field agent because field missions are not only dangerous but there’s exposure to multiple stimuli over and above the fact that they’re unpredictable. That’s also why Fitz finishes my sentences most of the time....'**_

_Coulson read the script and couldn’t help himself from blurting out his next statement_

_Coulson: “But you and Fitz....you guys are in sync....”_

_Jemma: “No we’re not...Fitz doesn’t know about my condition and one of the techniques Dr Grayson had taught me was that if I struggled during a conversation then I should...I should....”_

_Coulson: “You should allow someone else to take over!”_

_Jemma: “Yes! Exactly!”_

_Coulson: “So you and Fitz....you’re not in sync, You’re disguising your illness because you know that if you can’t form the sentence then Fitz would complete it for you!”_

_Jemma: “Well yeah...You see I became a Biochemist so I could understand how I became like this but..I’ve got nothing....I...Uuhh...Well I...think it’s because of what happened to my mum when she was pregnant with me...You see...what I’m trying to say is....well I know how to help Fitz cope with hypoxia because I live with it every day...Because when I was in-utero I was oxygen deprived because of the....the umm...”_

_Coulson: “Umbilical cord? Fitz said it was wrapped around your neck and you nearly died...is that what gave you low latent inhibition?”_

_Jemma: “No....That was something else; it’s in this file....”_

_She slid the file over to him and by the look on her face he knew that he was to read the file later_

_Jemma: “So sir, Bottom line is I can help Fitz but please don’t tell anyone else about this unless it’s absolutely necessary....”_

_Now that Coulson was aware of Jemma’s condition, he began scrutinizing her and realized that everything fitted so perfectly and that had Jemma not just told him he would have never known that she was suffering with such a condition.... So he took the sheet of paper that Jemma wrote on and placed it in the file she had given him. Smiled at her and said_

_Coulson: “Your secret’s safe with me Jemma”_

_ *End Flash Back*  _

Coulson now held that very same file in his hands it felt heavy in the huge envelope but it was time for someone else to know the truth

Coulson: “May I sent Simmons on this mission simply because she was the only available agent....the thing is Jemma and I made an agreement that the mission would not last for more than six months and you’re about to find out why...”

May watched closely as Coulson opened the large envelope on his desk and extracted a file from it, he then handed it to her and she immediately began reading it.

May: “Coulson this file only had intel on somebody Alexandria Frances Blackwell. What does this have to do with Simmons? I mean this file is over twenty six years old and reads like a Greek tragedy...all I can tell from it is that she was one very unlucky woman...I mean she wanted to divorce her husband but realised soon after that she was pregnant with his child so she stayed with him and tried to make the marriage work and then got kidnapped and tortured while pregnant by her husband’s enemies and the poison that they tried to kill her with should’ve killed both her and the baby but somehow they both survived but her pregnancy became difficult because the umbilical cord was strangling the foetus....and after inducing labour at eight months of pregnancy she died three days after giving birth...Now who is this woman and why is her death relevant to FitzSimmons?”

Coulson: “Alexandria Frances Blackwell was the first wife of James Michael Simmons...”

May: “James Michael...But that’s Jemma’s...”

Coulson: “yes....he’s her father....”

May: “So that makes Jemma Alexandria’s child....”

Coulson: “Yes May.”

May: “But the file says the Foetus suffered initially from the adverse effects of the poison which caused the body to overcompensate for the damage to the brain and develop low latent inhibition but then the strangling caused Hypoxia and that lead to the eidetic memory...Coulson, judging by this File, Jemma should Not be in the field...we shouldn’t have sent her out there! She needs to come home!”

Coulson: “It gets worse...”

May: “You’re kidding...”

Coulson: “To combat the effects of her low latent inhibition, Jemma and her therapist Dr. Grayson had developed a serum that has to be injected into her blood stream once every six months otherwise she’ll become immune to it and they created these pills that she has to take, they have trace amounts of dentrotoxin in them and together the pills and the serum basically relaxes the brain and conditions it to reduce the large influx of stimuli significantly in order to prevent a complete shutdown of cognitive ability..”

May: “Dentrotoxin...the same stuff in the ICERS?”

Coulson: “Yeah...Jemma was using dentrotoxin in minute dosages to help her cope with the low latent inhibition because it helped relax the brain....”

May: “And the serum?”

Coulson: “Well I don’t fully understand it but I do know that it’s supposed to work with the pills to help her...like the serum is the vaccine and the pills are like the booster shots, she only needs to take the pills when she gets headaches or nosebleeds etc...”

May: “What happens if she isn’t injected with the serum on time?”

Coulson: “Basically think of Jemma’s brain as a circuit board and if she doesn’t get injected with this serum before the sixth month ends then imagine what will happen if you charge said circuit board with a lightning bolt...”

May: “It’ll overload...short circuit....”

Coulson: “She could die May...”

May: “Where’s the serum?” Coulson dug into the envelope and fished out a small 10×8 silver case.

Coulson: “It’s right here....”

May: “We need to find her...and fast.”

Coulson: “May...we can’t tell the others...not yet...”

May: “I understand Coulson...”

 

A/N: *phew* that was a long chapter with an obscene amount of information, this was important to understand the rest of the story and how the stuff HYDRA injected Simmons with will affect her now because it just may accelerate her condition. SO the clock is ticking, let’s hope Coulson and the gang find Jemma and Fast! Remember I am Making all of this up so I have no idea if it’s medically accurate [I’m a law student not a med student people] but know that I’m exaggerating at points for dramatic purposes. Further I hope this nice long chapter keeps you content for a while, I have exams coming up so I have NO IDEA when I’m going to update next. Till next time....please read and Comment! Comments motivate me to write constantly


	3. Star Crossed Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Fate Unites them only to tear them apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note (A/N): This does not follow the Current Track and Characters will be slightly OOC (out of Character). I am NOT a doctor, Everything Medical or related to the Medical conditions I am talking about originates from my imagination....I have done some research and have tailored it to suit the story and have extended some truths for dramatic purposes. Further I have studied classical Mythology (it was one of my modules during my first year of University) but Not astronomy so even though I know the Mythology is accurate, the Astronomy aspect might not be correct but I’m taking creative licences so imagine that it’s real...So without further ado...here’s Chapter 3

Skye walked out of the briefing room and straight to the lab, and held back the gasp that formed in her throat when she caught sight if Fitz, who was clearly in a rage, as he threw and smashed equipment. Skye rushed over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder to try and calm him but he merely shrugged it off. It was only after she had called his name repeatedly and had turned him to face her did the engineer finally calm down and register that there was someone else in the lab with him.

The second Fitz had registered Skye’s presence, the tears that were threatening to spill, since he found out that Simmons was in danger, had released. He tore his gaze from Skye as he wiped his tears and looked around at the destruction he caused.

Fitz: “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to...To ...it’s just...”

Skye: “Hey...Hey...It’s ok Fitz...I understand....I’d be pretty pissed too if my best friend was undercover at Psycho central and I AM pissed that Coulson sent Simmons in without informing us...I thought she left...I thought she left us...left you...”

Fitz: “No...Jemma would never do that...she’s too...too...umm...err...too...”

Skye: “Nice? Friendly? Honourable? Loyal?”

Fitz: “Yes! Loyal! Jemma’s too Loyal...and...errr.....What was before that?”

Skye: “Umm...honourable?”

Fitz: “Yeah...she’s honourable...she promised to be beside me...even though she’s not here...she’s not here...umm...”

Skye: “Physically?”

Fitz: “Yes...she’s not here physically, she has a reason....and I know she’s with us....on our...our side...”

Skye: “But Still...Coulson shouldn’t have sent her out there...she’s not a field agent...”

Fitz: “She can handle herself...she had higher marks in..fight..hit...Combat! higher marks in combat than me...”

Skye: “So why did you guys fail the field assessment?”

Fitz: “I failed because of combat...I don’t know about Jemma...but she spoke to...she spoke to...Agent...We...”

Skye: “Weaver?”

Fitz: “Yeah...and Weaver sorted it out for us....”

Skye: “Fitz...can I ask you something?”

Fitz: “Yeah...”

Skye: “You and Simmons...how close are you two...”

Fitz: “She’s my best friend in the world....and more...”

He had whispered the last bit but Skye had heard him

_‘He loves her!! OMG...Fitz LOVES Simmons!!! FINALLY!!! AHHHHH!'_

Skye had hid her glee well behind an unreadable facial expression that she once used to mock May, but she was thrilled that her two favourite people might have a chance together... _‘Now...Only to find out if Jemma likes Fitz...then I can play matchmaker...I’m thinking a spring wedding...Oh Boy! They’re gonna have super cute nerdy children!’_

Fitz: “Umm...Skye?”

Fitz’s voice broke her out of her reverie and she realised that she was smiling like a goof, imagining a FitzSimmons Wedding and then later a FitzSimmons baby. Skye blushed when she was caught daydreaming and turned her attention to Fitz

Skye: “Yup?”

Fitz: “Skye...What do you want to know?”

Skye: “You and Simmons are really close...so what happened in the med pod? Because when you woke up and during those days after you kinda lashed out at Jemma...did she say something to you?”

Fitz: “No...She didn’t say anything...I indi-indirect-indirectly told her that I lo-lo-love her and she didn’t say anything...”

Seeing Fitz so broken, and so lost without Simmons only increased Skye’s anger at Coulson for sending Simmons undercover when Fitz clearly needed her...

Skye: “Well...we’re gonna get her back...and when she comes home I’m going to get you her answer...although I’m pretty sure that she loves you too Fitz...”

Fitz: “How...How do you know?”

Skye: “Well she never left your bedside when you were in a coma and she was beside you every step of the way even when you were...well angry...with well ....everyone... You just sprung it on her, give her time to mull it over...you know Jemma likes to be super prepared for EVERYTHING...”

Fitz: “Yeah...you’re right,”

Skye: “I know I am....Now! Let’s go steal our Agent away from right under Hydra’s nose! Wait...Do octopi have noses?”

Fitz: “Technically... it’s octopodes or octopuses...”

Skye:“Whatever...point is...they won’t know what hit them!”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bakshi smiled as the woman asleep atop of him nestled closer burying her face in the crook of his neck. The felling of her skin against his was wonderful, and he was ecstatic that there was nothing separating him from his beloved. He tightened his hold on her waist and pulled her closer to him, pulling him in deeper into her folds. The after effects of their amorous activities still showed on her and Bakshi was reluctant to remove himself. He felt content...he felt complete...like he was meant to be entwined with her. Jemma Simmons could drive any sane man crazy fully clothed but completely naked she was a goddess, a Goddess that Bakshi would gladly worship over and over again... Jemma stirred slowly, her voice silken with sleep as she muttered the name that caused his blood to run cold and a white hot rage to take over him

Jemma: “Fitz?”

That name...the name of the man he was pretending to be was enough to destroy the illusion of happiness that he had created. That one name reminded him that Jemma did not truly love him...it reminded him that his love was unrequited, because he conditioned her into loving him...her love for him was his fantasy but her love for Leo Fitz was real...

He had studied Leo Fitz and his relationship and Interactions with Jemma extensively in order to play the part, heck he even learned some engineering to seem believable and had learned to mimic the effects of Hypoxia not only to cover up his lack of knowledge on engineering but to make his performance believable. He did all of this just so he could have her beside him but still...he remained unloved.

Months had changed since that day in Whitehall’s office and Bakshi had found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with each passing day. There were some hiccups initially, the grey serum that Jemma was injected with did not have the desired effect of controlling her mind because she was still extremely aware of her surroundings even while under the influence of the drug but Whitehall had a plan B, he had given Bakshi the technology for Hydra’s face changing masks and an endless supply of PCP and other hallucinogens to use on Jemma. Acquiring Leopold Fitz’s DNA was not difficult since there was a bio record of his on his Shield file and acquiring his voice sample was simpler since there were many videos on file of the presentations the engineer had with Jemma when they displayed their latest inventions. The problem was, even if He could look like Fitz and sound like Fitz he did not smell or feel like Fitz, his physique and build did not match that of the engineer’s and in the early days Jemma, thanks to her hyper aware senses, had realised that it was an illusion. So he was keeping her medicated, secretly dosing her with the PCP and more powerful hallucinogens on a daily basis to keep her pliant to everything that proved he was Fitz and blind to everything else. He only used the face mask technology when needed, like the times when the hallucinogens had worn off or run out....but there were times when he had stopped dosing her with the drug because she started becoming aware of the effects it had on her i.e. lapses in memory and slight behavioural changes, so he decreased the dosages and used the face changing technology to allay her suspicions at random events to create the illusion that she was simply being paranoid.

Bakshi plastered a fake smile on and kissed his beloved’s forehead before he spoke

Bakshi: “Yeah Jem?”

Jemma: “Do we have to go in today? I just want to lay here with you...”

Bakshi groaned as she rolled her hips, her body doing unspeakable things to him, his body was so responsive to her and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning.

Bakshi: “Jem... they’ll notice, I mean we have that lab all to ourselves...”

Jemma: “It really is a nice lab...I mean I was stuck in the downstairs lab with twenty other people before you showed up Fitz....Remind me again how you managed to score a state of the art lab just for the two of us?”

Bakshi: “Easy...I told them ‘we’re FitzSimmons’ and FitzSimmons need to be free to explore the wonders of science in order to achieve maximum results...”

She chuckled at his comment and leaned in to capture his lips in a passionate kiss, her gesture fuelling the pit of guilt that was steadily growing within him. He could never tell her that because of his position in HYDRA, Bakshi had managed to convince Whitehall that a scientist of Jemma’s calibre deserved their own lab and Whitehall only agreed with him because Bakshi pointed out that it would be easier to monitor the biochemist if she was isolated. He drew the line though at Hydra monitoring their new apartment since he wanted no one other than himself to lay their unworthy gaze upon Jemma’s nude form.

Sure the place was smaller than what he was accustomed to but since he was playing the role of an engineer; whose assets were frozen thanks to the whole SHIELD debacle; the cosy studio apartment had suited the role nicely, besides he could live anywhere as long as Jemma remained with him. The only thing he regretted was the lies he told his beloved, he lied to her that her former team had known she needed help undercover so they sent Fitz in because FitzSimmons should not have been separated. Every morning he lied to her that he spoke to Coulson and whenever she asked to talk to her team he either changed the subject or told her that they could not be in frequent communication because Hydra could be watching. In all honesty the HYDRA agent in him wanted nothing more than to have her contact Coulson so they could locate and eradicate the threat to Hydra but the man in him, the one who was besotted with the woman in his arms, could not bring himself to hurt the people she called family. So he kept telling Whitehall that if Jemma made contact with her old team then their entire plan would be foiled when she spoke about Fitz to Coulson or when she realised that the man she was living with for the past few months was not Leopold Fitz.

The feel of his skin against hers, and his desire buried deep within her was enough to cloud Jemma’s senses. She was blissfully unaware of her true feelings for Fitz until he sprung his feelings for her on her before they escaped from the med pod. When she left him at Shield to go undercover, she was confused and unsure about her love for Fitz but in those four months without him she realised just how much he meant to her. He was her anchor and without him she had nothing. She loved him and was thrilled that he loved her back so she chuckled at his comment and kissed him, pouring all her love for him into the kiss hoping he could understand her unspoken intention but the minute her lips touched his, something changed....his shoulders felt broader suddenly and his skin didn’t smell of his cinnamon body wash. His body size changed beneath her finger tips and her head began to throb as these realisations hit her all at once she broke the kiss abruptly, and pushed herself off this person, she wanted to get away her mind screaming only one thought at her _‘It’s not Fitz...It’s Not Fitz...IT’S NOT FITZ!!!!’_ but she didn’t get far, all she had done was sit up straight on the side edge of the bed, her back facing the person beside her and her legs over the side and touching the hardwood floors.

She was panicking, her mind trying to see through the haze it suddenly realised was over her eyes and she felt a white hot pain surge through her as the first droplets of blood trickled down her nose. She heard and felt the bed move as the person laying next to her sat upright and placed a hand on her shoulder in a concerning manner. A hand that was not Fitz’s, was placed on her shoulder and had turned her body to face them but she kept her eyes downcast. A hand reached up and wiped the blood away and she stared at the hand in shock. _‘Fitz’s hands are different...they’re more calloused but still soft...this is wrong...this is not Fitz...’_ She removed her gaze from the hand that had just been withdrawn and stared up at the face of the person who she had just had sex with

_‘No...no...No It can’t be...It was Fitz! I saw Fitz! It can’t be Bakshi...It just can’t be! Where’s Fitz? I want Fitz...’_

He had been enjoying the kiss, knowing well where their activity would take them and he was relishing the opportunity to have her once more so her sudden halt in participation worried him. Seconds later she pushed him away and moved...trying to get away from him and he instantly knew that the drugs had worn off. So he turned quietly to his bedside table and pulled out a syringe filled with another hallucinogenic cocktail and kept it hidden in one hand. The other hand he used to turn her to face him and he was momentarily puzzled by the blood that had trickled down her cheek _‘That’s never happened before...are the drugs doing this?’_

He watched her as her gaze moved from his hand to his face. He would never forget the look in her eyes when she registered who he truly was. Her eyes were filled with hurt, disbelief, anger and regret but worst of all he saw Disgust...but surprisingly not because of him...Jemma Simmons was disgusted with herself and she was about to say something to him, when suddenly a scream erupted from her lips and her hands immediately began clutching her head so he quickly grabbed the syringe and administered the sedative.

Her mind was reeling and the pain increased as a sudden loud ringing filled her ears and she cried out in pain as she clutched her head, her mind realising that Fitz had never been there in the first place but before she could attack the man beside her she felt a sharp Jab on her arm before everything turned dark.... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He dressed her in his shirt before placing her under the covers as the sedative worked on her. He grabbed his pants and after hastily putting them on, he went to one of the paintings that hung in the apartment and pulled it aside, revealing a small electronic safe hidden behind the canvas. He punched in the combination and once it was opened he extracted the bottles of Drugs he needed to give Jemma when she woke up. He closed the safe, and walked towards his sleeping beloved when something had caught his eye. It was the gift he got her after the night they shared their first kiss, a beautiful Swarovski crystal. A light blue oyster opened to reveal the most gorgeous pearl that nestled within it. He began reminiscing about that night and he let his memories remind him why Jemma was the perfect woman

_*Flash Back*_

_It was the perfect day; Jemma was positively beaming and staring at him eyes wide with admiration. They had just finished a presentation in Whitehall’s office and the Hydra Head was thrilled with their work. He pulled Bakshi aside to congratulate him and as a reward for their good work he gave him the keys to a new penthouse apartment. **‘It’s yours Bakshi...for when this whole SHIELD debacle is behind us and you and your love are tired of living in squalor...’** _

_He hid the Keys in his pocket when Jemma glanced over to him from her spot by the table where she was packing up the presentation and gave him a warm smile, the girl of smile that caused the butterflies in his stomach to flutter and his face to break into a smile. Whitehall had clearly noticed his behaviour and chuckled softly at them before whispering into his ear_

_**‘She’s beautiful...too bad she’s one of the good one...I’m sure if she was evil, she’d be even better...”** _

_Whitehall dismissed them after handing him another secret gift, a sizeable cheque, and together he and Jemma went back to their private lab._

_Jemma: “I can’t believe he loved the presentation! I man...I know he’s evil and everything but the fact that he appreciated our work...”_

_Jemma had rambled on about some plasma particle thing that went over his head but he kept his eyes trained on her because he loved the way her face lit up whenever she spoke about science. Their journey to the lab was short and because of the early hour they packed their stuff and left the building for the night for celebratory beer and junkfood._

_So they ended up buying Chinese takeout from a nearby restaurant and a six-pack of beer before they returned to their apartment to begin the festivities. They ate, they drank, they laughed and they talked for hours and Bakshi could never have been happier. If this was what dating Jemma was like then he never wanted it to stop._

_As the night wore on and the luminescent moon filled the sky, after Jemma had helped him clear up, she wondered over to the window and was staring up at the night in fascination while he put on the kettle for tea._

_Jemma: “I wonder where Asgard would be...Wouldn’t it be fascinating Fitz?”_

_Bakshi: “Mmhh...you know I was always told that instead of looking for another planet in our stars we should look at our history written in them...”_

_Jemma turned to stare at him and he chuckled at her expression as he prepared their tea and carried it to her. He set it down on the windowsill in front of her, stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder._

_Bakshi: “Well our history can be traced in those stars...our myths and legends...Earth is fascinating enough so why bother about another planet?”_

_Jemma: “Well they’re alien...they have so much to teach us!”_

_Bakshi: “Maybe we have a lot to teach them....for example...”_

_He took her hand in his palm and lifted it, caressing the glass with the fingertip of her index finger, joining the dots of stars against their window._

_Bakshi: “That’s Orion’s belt, one of the most famous constellations in our galaxy. It tells the tale of the Pleiades and Orion. The Pleiades were seven sisters, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. As the story is usually told, Orion fell in love with the Pleiades and pursued them with amorous intent so Zeus snatched the group up and placed them among the stars, where Orion still pursues them across the sky each night...”_

_He tightened his grip slightly on Jemma’s waist, fearful that one day she would be taken from him and he would be left to find her like Orion chasing after, but never finding the Pleiades._

_Jemma: “Fascinating...You’re right the myths and legends of Earth are truly interesting...”_

_Bakshi grinned at her awestruck expression as she gazed upon the stars._

_Jemma: “So what’s your favourite story?”_

_Bakshi then moved her hand to trace another constellation’s pattern against their window and whispered seductively into her ear_

_Bakshi: “The story of Virgo...The Tale of Hades and Persephone...”_

_Jemma: “And what’s that all about?”_

_Bakshi laughed and kissed her neck before resuming his story_

_Bakshi: “See the constellation Virgo depicts the Goddess of Agriculture, Demeter...”_

_Jemma: “This maybe sleep deprivation but I can’t exactly see a toga clad woman in the stars up there...”_

_Bakshi: “Well Demeter’s Daughter Persephone was taken by Hades to the Underworld after he had fallen in love with her. Demeter could not allow her daughter to remain in the Underworld so she held the world hostage in an endless period where no vegetation thrived until Zeus intervened and brought Persephone home. But Persephone chose to remain in the underworld with the dark prince, eating six pomegranate seeds before leaving Hades thus ensuring her Return to the realm where she’s rule as Queen beside her God Husband...”_

_He sighed as he finished the tale, the parallels between the story of Hades and his own was not lost on him. Like Hades he fell in love with a woman who was literally too good for him, and like the dark prince he forced her to be by his side. Coulson, like Demeter, would not rest until his Persephone, His Jemma was taken away from him and this thought troubled him deeply, haunting his dreams endlessly. So with fear in his voice he whispered_

_Bakshi: “Don’t leave me...please...”_

_Jemma turned to face him, his hands resting on her waist and her chest pressed against his. A mildly startled expression on her face as she cupped his face with her hands and kissed his forehead before she spoke, their lips only inches apart_

_Jemma: “I’ll be beside you the whole time...”_

_He smiled at her words and leaning in, closing the distance between them by capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Her body arched towards him, her hands running through his hair pulling him in deeper as she responded to him and if he died right then, he would’ve been a happy man_

_*End Flash Back*_

Bakshi tore his gaze away from the radiant crystal to the glorious woman asleep in his bed. He grabbed the latest dosage of the hallucinogen and walked over to her completely unaware of the adverse effect his selfishness was having on his beloved as he emptied the contents of the syringe into her bloodstream.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Skye marched down to Vault D, shoulder’s set and tears threatening to spill. She quickly changed the cell settings from ‘Opaque’ to ‘Clear’ and rushed in to greet the man she loved.

Skye: “Grant...Grant! Wake up!!!”

Grant: “Skye? Is something wrong? Did anyone hurt you? You’ve been crying...I swear I’ll hurt the person who-”

Skye: “Grant calm down...I need your help...”

Grant: “Anything Skye...I’ll do anything for you...”

Skye: “I need to know where Hydra keeps their scientists...We need to find someone...”

Grant analysed the tears threatening to fall on Skye’s face and the desperation in her voice and immediately realised who they were looking for

Grant: “Simmons? Simmons is gone??”

Skye: “Yeah...Coulson sent her undercover...”

Grant: “IN HYDRA???? You know she’s like the worst liar in the world right?”

Skye: “Well she was the only one available...”

Grant: “No she wasn’t...Fitz needs her here...”

Skye: “Grant there’s no time to argue about this! We need to find Jemma!”

Grant: “There’s no finding Jemma...If we go in there and blow her cover Hydra will Kill her, but if we leave her there Hydra would either brainwash her or kill her themselves...Skye you need an extraction plan...a damn good one...”

Skye: “How about this...you help us bring Jemma home and I’ll talk to Coulson...”

Grant: “About what?”

Skye: “You say that you’ll do anything for me...Help us and I’ll vouch for you to Coulson...”

Grant: “I’m a traitor remember? Coulson wouldn’t go for it...”

Skye: “Oh yes he would...Because he knows as well as I, that you’d rather put a bullet through your head then betray me...”

Grant avoided Skye’s gaze, knowing that if she gazed into his eyes she’d have the confirmation that she needed so he cleared his throat and spoke

Grant: “I’m in...”

 

 **A/N:** This has not been edited so any mistakes will be Found and corrected by me when I have time...Well I don’t know when I’m going to update next as I have exams coming up and assignments that are due.. But Chapter 3 is done...and even though there was not much covered plot wise It was still an important chapter...we get to see Fitz and his pure love for Simmons. We also get to see a glimpse into Bakshi’s obsession and how he keeps Jemma away from the world like Hades did to Persephone...and lastly the first appearance of SkyeWard!! Until NExt time Please read and comment!!!p >


	4. Old Allegiences and New problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ward is Released and Bakshi learns a startling truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note (A/N): This does not follow the Current Track and Characters will be slightly OOC (out of Character). I am NOT a doctor, Everything Medical or related to the Medical conditions I am talking about originates from my imagination....I have done some research and have tailored it to suit the story and have extended some truths for dramatic purposes.

Chapter 4

Even walking down a dark dingy corridor seemed like freedom to a man who had been caged for nearly five months. The open space felt odd, the liberty it gave was foreign but Grant Ward accepted it happily as he walked, though still in chains, between his beloved Skye and Agent Triplett.

Even though his release was due to dire circumstances, Grant could not help but smile, the open space was doing funny things to him because as he walked through the SHIELD base he could not help but grin, earning him curious glances from everyone he passed; an annoyed look from Trip and an admonishing scoff from Skye.

Skye: “Grant...stop smiling”

Grant: “I can’t help it...I’m just so thrilled to be out of that cell...”

Trip glared at him and growled

Trip: “There’s nothing to be _‘thrilled’_ about...you can smile when we get Jemma back or we can throw you back in that cell where you can smile to your heart’s content....so until we get Jemma back, knock it off...”

Skye gave Grant a pleading look, begging him to follow orders as Trip marched ahead in a huff

Skye: “Sorry...it’s just...we’re all on edge...with Jemma missing...and now you’re out of your cell and no one trusts or forgives you...and for you to be smiling like that...well...people can get the wrong idea...you know?”

Grant: “I’m sorry for being so careless...trust me Skye, I want Jemma back more than anything, she doesn’t deserve this...”

Skye: “No...No she doesn’t...Why would HYDRA kidnap her? She was already working for them...”

Ward could sense the anger laced with concern in Skye’s voice and he wanted nothing more than to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. Skye battled to contain her tears and keep her voice even as she spoke to the man she loved but no matter how brave she pretended to be the reality was that she was simply just a hacker who was in way over her head. There were times when she longed for the simplicity of her van but then she recalled the love and warmth of her newfound family and that gave her the strength to continue, right now a member of her family was in danger and Skye would not rest until every member of her family was safe.

Together, Ward and Skye rounded the corner and halted in front of the briefing room. The door was wide open and from the inside nearly everyone, present at the SHIELD base, stared back at them.  Ward shifted uncomfortably from their heated gazes but simply followed Skye as she confidently strode into the room. As she passed her fellow agents Skye was surprised to see nearly every agent of the New SHIELD was present in the briefing room and those who were not at the base had been teleconferenced in. _‘Wow, Saving Jemma is officially top priority, Coulson must be really desperate if he teleconferenced Maria Hill in on this rescue mission...’_

Skye ignored the glares her fellow agents threw her way because of Grant but she was not expecting the reactions from her former team. May scowled in the corner while clenching her fists, clearly preparing to kill Grant; Trip had his gun to his side, his finger on the trigger just itching to use the weapon on Grant while Fitz...well Fitz was the more vocal of his anger as his voice roared through the silence

Fitz: “YOU’RE BLOODY KIDDING!!! THERE’S NO BLOODY WAY HE’S GOING TO HELP US! HE’D SOON AS KILL US ALL BEFORE HELPING US! HE TRIED TO KILL JEMMA AND I...WHY WOULD HE WANT TO SAVE HER NOW? IT’S A TRAP....HE’S JUST GOING TO BETRAY US AGAIN...HE NEVER CARED ABOUT US, HE’S A MONSTER AND I’D RATHER KILL HIM MYSELF BEFORE I LET HIM ANYWHERE NEAR JEMMA....”

 

Fitz’s rant had earned him nods and shouts of approval from many fellow agents, including Billy Koenig, and before the engineer could cause a full blown riot Hunter and Mack had to stop Fitz from egging the crown on. Both looked at Coulson desperately for assistance but Coulson merely stood stoically at the edge of the conference table. He looked Grant in the eye while he waited for Fitz to calm down and only once the engineer fell silent did the Director speak

 

Coulson: “Grant Ward, it is no secret that you have betrayed not only this organisation but your close friends and team mates as well, they definitely have not forgiven you and don’t misconstrue your temporary release from that dingy cell as an act of Kindness because clearly you don’t deserve it. You have been brought here at the request of Agent Skye who believes that you can help us retrieve an asset...”

 

Coulson picked up the Tablet lying on the table and typed something on it, seconds later, the largest screen in the briefing room displayed an image of Jemma. Once the image was displayed Coulson began addressing the room

 

Coulson: “Most of you have wondered why I have gathered you here, and she is the reason...Months ago, Agents Simmons had infiltrated Hydra on my instruction but we have recently lost contact with her, Agents May and Trip had searched her apartment and could find no trace of her...it’s like she just vanished, I know for a fact that Jemma Simmons is Loyal to Shield and there’s no way she would have deserted us, so I can only conclude that her cover has been blown and that we need to pull her out of Hydra before they turn her against us. Agent Simmons is a brilliant scientist, the kind that Hydra could use to their utmost advantage so it is imperative that we bring her home....So as of now, all other missions are on hold....Finding Jemma Simmons is TOP priority... and Agent Ward is going to help us bring her home...”

 

Once he had finished speaking he surveyed the room, waiting for anyone to object or challenge his authority but when nothing of the sort happened, he merely dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Nearly every agent filed out of the room, leaving May, Trip, Skye, Grant, Fitz, Hunter, Mack and Koenig behind. The eight of them watched Coulson carefully, expecting him to give them more intel on the mission but the director merely sank into the nearest seat and buried his face in his hands.

 

Grant watched Coulson carefully, clearly there was something that the director was keeping from them but since he was in no position to pry he remained silent. Fitz however, growled at Grant and spoke

 

Fitz: “This doesn’t change anything...Whether you bring her home or die trying...I’ll never forgive you for what you did to us!”

 

Skye had held Fitz back and tried to reason with him

 

Skye: “Fitz...he can help us, he knows how Hydra operates and if anyone can find Simmons...it’s him...”

 

Fitz: “He doesn’t care about Jemma! He’s just using this as an excuse to get close to us again.....he’s going to betray us!”

 

Grant flinched at the hatred in the engineer’s eyes but held his own as he spoke

 

Grant: “I care...I care about Jemma, Fitz...I care about all of you...I know there’s no excuse for what I’ve done but I care about you guys.... I jumped out of a plane without a parachute to save Jemma...”

 

Fitz: “NO you DON’T! Raina told us the reason why you Jumped out of the plane and saved Jemma, she told us everything! How you used that as an excuse to get close to us....You don’t care about us...you only care about yourself!”

 

Trip had let go of his gun and held Fitz’s shoulder in support

 

Trip: “You have no right to care about any of us Grant...you lost that right the day you sided with Garret and Hydra against us...”

 

Grant: “Even if I can’t care about you guys or Jemma...I can still feel indebted....I have that right don’t I? Jemma Simmons saved my life more that once...If helping you guys find her means that I can repay even a small portion of that debt then I’ll do everything I can to find her and bring her back safely...I know I tried to kill her and Fitz...but, I owe her...She saved my life when I tried to end it, she put aside her hatred of me and still did everything she could to save me...I know what Hydra could do to her...and I know how to stop it....Fitz...please...let me help...”

 

May, Trip and Billy exchanged glances, each one assessing whether or not to trust Grant. Mack and Hunter had watched the former team mates as they decided whether or not to trust Grant while Skye simply stood beside Coulson, placed her hand on his shoulder and Spoke

 

Skye: “I vouch for Grant...He is my responsibility, If  he ever betrays us then I’ll take responsibility for his actions...”

 

Coulson had finally looked up but before he could speak May beat him to it

 

May: “if Grant betrays us again....I’ll kill him and I’m pretty sure Trip and Billy will help me...know this Skye, if you side with him after another betrayal then you won’t only take responsibility for his actions, you will be punished alongside him....is that clear?”

Skye nodded meekly and Coulson sighed in frustration

Coulson: “None of this is going to bring Jemma home! We need Ward and frankly I don’t care what happens, as long as Jemma Simmons is back at this base before the month ends!”

And with that Coulson stormed out of the briefing room, followed closely by May and Billy.

Skye looked desperately at her remaining teammates, hoping that they would understand that Grant Ward was an asset in this mission and not an enemy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

_*At Bakshi’s Apartment*_

 

Sunil Bakshi was, by nature, a very obsessive soul and right now the object of his obsession was unwell and he was powerless to help her.

 

_‘If I go to a hospital then Hydra will get suspicious as to why I’m not reporting this to them and then SHIELD can track my location, but if I don’t go to a hospital then Jemma might get worse....Agh! What do I do?”_

 

He paced the length of their studio apartment in desperation, hoping and praying for some sort of miracle to occur but shortly after recalling all of his dastardly deeds he huffed in frustration once he realised that there was no way he would be blessed with a miracle...not after all the evil he had done... so he sank to his knees and for the first time in years he began to pray to a deity that he had long forgotten

 

_‘Help me...Please...please...please....I know I’m the evil one...but she’s not...she’s good, innocent and pure....Don’t do it for me, but for her...I need to help her...I don’t know what to do...help me...Show me what to do...’_

 

He had no idea when his face had become wet with tears or for how long he remained on the floor but the pinging sound of an incoming message had broken him away from his pleas. The universe was giving him one more chance and he was not going to screw it up this time...

The loud pinging continued for a few seconds and he frantically began searching for the source of the sound. After checking the answering machine, his phone, pager, ipad and laptop the sound had ceased with him still not knowing where the message was received. He was ready to yell in frustration and turn the apartment upside down looking for the source but a small flicker of light had caught his eye. Like a moth to a flame he was drawn to it, moving closer and closer to the answer to all his prayers.

Over on Jemma’s dresser, her laptop was opened to her personal email inbox, and sure he worked for Hydra but he would never read her private emails.  If he was caught he would defend himself by arguing that he walked over to the laptop out of pure curiosity.

_‘Should I open the email?...It’s hers...If I do it will violate her privacy....but if I don’t and it’s a way to help her then  could lose her....’_

After debating with himself about whether or not to invade Jemma’s privacy he grabbed the laptop and headed to the kitchen where he placed the computer on the table and grabbed a seat.

He began browsing through the emails and was alarmed when he saw that the latest email and a large number of Emails over the past few weeks were from one Dr. Grayson. Everyone knew that Dr. Grayson was a top Neurologist/Neurosurgeon before he suddenly went off the grid because some wealthy patron in England had paid him a ridiculous amount of money to treat their child. Years later he remerged only to announce his early retirement the day he opened up a private clinic that specialised in Neurological disorders and had dozens of medical trials in operation trying to cure these disorders. Even though the world thought his behaviour odd, Hydra still wanted Dr Grayson as a consultant and Bakshi wondered what Jemma could’ve been talking to Grayson about

_‘She’s a biochemist...probably about some chemical reaction in the brain to the medications that he’s using in his medical trials...’_ he was about to brush it off, but the Hydra agent in him took over so he opened a random email on the page and began to read

_‘ **Jemma, you’ve told me about the lapses in memory but with your condition it seems impossible...There must be something else in your system... because the drug we created does not have this effect...’**_

Curious he opened another

**_‘Jemma, I haven’t heard from you in a while...please respond soon so I know you’re ok...I know that you have to remain in hiding because you’re now a fugitive but please if you’re not going to contact me then at least remember to take your medication...’_ **

_‘Medication? She’s on medication??? What the hell? I didn’t know this!’_

He opened another email to find out why his beloved was on medication and his heart clenched when he read about his paramour’s condition

**_‘Jemma...please tell me that you’ve taken your meds...you know that you can’t miss a single dose. If you miss the deadline by even an hour this disease could kill you. The doctors and scientists that I have here at our clinic are still working on a cure but no one has come close to what you’ve created. Your disorder is very rare and the doctors are finding it difficult to make a drug that can combat the harmful effects of Low Latent Inhibition when coupled with an eidetic memory...’_ **

Bakshi stopped reading...the last sentence had confirmed his worst fears and suddenly everything started making sense. The reason why Jemma wasn’t cleared by Shield for Fieldwork, why she was the only one who could withstand Whitehall’s brainwashing machine, why the drugs they gave her afterward had failed until they started giving her the hallucinogens.

_‘She really is special... Whitehall’s machine would’ve worked on any average person...but with Jemma’s abilities making her hyper aware of her surroundings her subconscious knew about the attempts to rewrite her behaviour and thus guarded against it that’s why she only began to comply once we gave her the hallucinogens...we made her subconscious pliant and open to suggestion....but now that created a new set of problems...I need to find a cure...I need to keep her safe from both Shield and Hydra...Hydra will exploit her abilities and Shield...well Shield will take her away from me...’_

Sunil Bakshi was prepared to destroy Hydra and SHIELD if it meant his beloved would survive but first he needed to find a cure for her...

_‘I need to find Dr. Grayson and fast...’_

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
